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Thursday, July 24, 2014

Review: Vision by Lisa Amowitz

High school student Bobby Pendell already has his hands
full—he works almost every night to support his disabled-vet father and
gifted little brother. Then he meets the beautiful new girl in town, who
just happens to be his boss’s daughter. Bobby has rules about that kind
of thing. Nothing matters more than keeping his job.

When Bobby
starts to get blinding migraines that come with scary, violent
hallucinations, his livelihood is on the line. Soon, he must face the
stunning possibility that the visions of murder are actually real. With
his world going dark, Bobby is set on the trail of the serial killer
terrorizing his small town. With everyone else convinced he’s the prime
suspect, Bobby realizes that he, or the girl he loves, might be killer's
next victim.

My Rating

4.5

My Review

I received an ARC copy of Vision that I was incredibly excited to begin. I had read some of Lisa's work before and really enjoyed it - not to mention that, with a serial killer in the main plot line - this book definitely seemed my speed. Luckily, it turned out to be a case in which I had every reason to be excited. I absolutely devoured Vision in nearly one sitting. It's the kind of novel that picks you up and drags you in a rapid, twisting ride all the way until the end.

Although I found the beginning to be a bit slow, the book quickly picked up and held steady with a great pacing. Readers will be eager to learn what happens next and solve the case alone with Bobby.

I thought Bobby was an excellent protagonist. He had such a strong personality that felt entirely authentic, and always stayed true to his character. He really is an admirable person, and I couldn't help but root for him (which is nice, as a weak 'hero' can easily have me on the villain's side). The way he cared for his family, his friendship with Coco, and his relationship with Gabe were all very true-to-life, and interesting to read about.

The plot just kept getting better as the book went on. The sense of urgency and suspense was ever present, and I could really feel Bobby's struggle with the situation. Although not everything was explained, there was enough of an explanation to keep the story believable - which is a medium that''s not always found. Even though I was able to predict half of the twist from early on, I still enjoyed the way everything played out. Regardless of how paranoid it might be making me.

It's an incredible ride to an interesting end that leaves a possibility of more (and although I like it as a standalone, I definitely would not complain about seeing Bobby again). Vision is an excellent example of a YA thriller - a relatively short read that's packed with such a punch, readers will be thinking about it long afterward.